Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module aims to help introduce students to the field of Human Geography by exploring and analysing the geographical nature of contemporary issues in the UK. GEO1015 challenges students to draw upon human geography’s rich and diverse theoretical base in order to recognise and understand the geographical sensibilities of some of today’s most pressing and topical economic, societal, cultural and political issues.

•       To introduce cutting edge research exploring the human geography of the United Kingdom;
•       To present the range of world-leading geographical scholarship undertaken at Newcastle University;
•       To enable students to develop critical insights into a range of historical and current geographical trends, shaping economics, politics, society and culture in the United Kingdom;
•       To explore the skills required to trace uneven geographical processes;
•       To cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity at the varied approaches to human geography.
•       To develop an ability to undertaken meaningful fieldwork and connect to the broader learning aims and objectives of the taught materials.

Outline Of Syllabus

Lecture 1 – Introduction
Lecture 2 – Uneven development
Lecture 3 – Geographies of deindustrialisation
Lecture 4 – Geographies of knowledge intensive industries
Lecture 5 – The changing geographies of Tyneside
Lecture 6 – Fieldwork briefing on “Quayside and Ouseburn Valley”
Fieldwork 1 (Economic geographies)
Buffer/Enrichment Week
Lecture 7 – Social justice and geographies of responsibility
Lecture 8 – Gender, sexuality and place
Lecture 9 – Racism and Islamophobia
Lecture 10 – Fieldwork Briefing on “unequal play”
Fieldwork 2 (Social geographies)
Lecture 11 – Race, Place and Migration in the UK
Lecture 12 – Empire and Imperialism
Lecture 13 – The UK in the world today
Lecture 14 – The UK state, borders and nationalism
Lecture 15 – Protest and privilege
Lecture 16 – Fieldwork briefing on “contested citizenship”
Fieldwork 3 (Political geographies)
Lecture 17 – New cultural geography: Landscape and Identity
Lecture 18 – Landscape: Nature and Society
Lecture 19 – Geohumanities: Landscape and Embodiment
Lecture 20 – Geographies of Performance
Lecture 21 – Fieldwork briefing on “land art”
Fieldwork 4 (Cultural geographies)
Lecture 22 – Revision Lecture

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

•       Understand some of the key spatial variables in the UK economics, society, politics and culture;
•       Understand the range of geographical concepts and theories that have been used to analyse and describe these variations;
•       Understand the significance of geographical approaches to correcting and confronting inequality;
•       Be able to identify key areas of human geographical research at Newcastle University.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the course students will:

•       Have the skills to explain the nature of spatial variations in the human geography of the United Kingdom;
•       Have the ability to identify some of the causes behind these variations and their change over time;
•       Demonstrate an array of fieldwork techniques and forms of analysis;
•       Be able to evaluate the role and limitations of regional geographical approaches within the wider discipline of geography.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module is taught through a mixture of lectures and fieldwork in order to meet the learning outcomes.

The fieldwork in the form of student-led activity, coordinated by staff, offers an important first experience of fieldwork at this stage 1 level of the geography programme. This fieldwork will involve students having the opportunity to meet with staff in the field, undertake independent fieldwork, and undertake fieldwork virtually.

It is expected that students will complete this work around Newcastle upon Tyne. The economic and social geographies trips will be based around the city’s Quayside and Ouseburn Valley. The political geographies fieldwork will be largely based with student’s working online analysing secondary source materials. The cultural geographies trip involved virtual engagement with the Northumberlandia site.

It is important to recognise that the fieldwork activities may change in any given year based on logistical contingencies and the research and teaching interests of the staff involved.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Written exercise 1a and 1b:
2 x 1000 word essays, one each based on the economic and social geographies section of the module. Each essay will reflect the content taught in the foundations block, and will help assess students ability to deal with core concepts and context. This component is to ensure that students meet sufficient knowledge and skills outcomes linked to semester 1 teaching as part of the module’s aims. Essay 1a and 1b have the same deadline but staggered start times to encourage ongoing work throughout semester 1.


Written examination:
24 hour take-home exam to answer 2 exam questions, answering one from each of the political and cultural sub-sections of the module (up to 1000 word answers each). This will be set as an end of module assessment and will test knowledge and skills from across the range of semester 2 module material under take home exam conditions.

General Notes

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